Calling Amendment To The 1945 Constitution Not A Taboo Like The Bible

Deputy Chairman of MPR Hidayat Nur Wahid /DOK ANTARA

JAKARTA - The MPR leadership responded to the response of the Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) M. Tito Karnavian regarding the plan to declare 'Jokowi's 3 Periods' by the Indonesian Village Government Association (Apdesi) led by Surta Wijaya.

Deputy Chairman of the MPR RI PKS, Hidayat Nur Wahid, assessed that there was one thing that Tito had forgotten in his statement regarding the issue of extending the presidential term.

The reason is, Tito said the amendment was not a taboo subject. But what is taboo is only changing the preamble to the 1945 Constitution and the holy book. "Amendment to the Constitution is not taboo. But the Minister of Home Affairs may forget, not only the Scriptures and the Preamble to the Constitution, the matter of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia cannot be amended (article 37 paragraph 5)," said Hidayat Nur Wahid in Jakarta, Wednesday, April 6th.

Therefore, according to Hidayat, Tito's statement that alludes to the amendment to the 'pair of bodies' regarding Apdesi which was shouted for 3 periods is not correct.

"It's natural to vote for amendments, not about 3 periods, because 3 periods are not in accordance with the Constitution and the oath of office," he stressed. Previously, Tito responded to the attitude of Apdesi led by Surta Wijaya at the National Gathering (Silatnas) of Village Heads on March 29, 2022.

The former National Police Chief said that the actions of the village heads did not violate the applicable Village Law, because the village head did not have the status of a bureaucrat or State Civil Apparatus (ASN). So, there is no prohibition against village heads from carrying out practical politics. "If there is a change to the Constitution, is there a prohibition? Our Constitution has never been amended, hasn't it? It's not taboo, what is taboo is the opening of the Constitution, taboo scriptures," said Tito at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, last Tuesday, April 5th.